IDSA GUIDELINES
Practice Guidelines for Outpatient Parenteral
Antimicrobial Therapy
Alan D. Tice,1 Susan J. Rehm,2 Joseph R. Dalovisio,3 John S. Bradley,4 Lawrence P. Martinelli,5 Donald R. Graham,6
R. Brooks Gainer,7 Mark J. Kunkel,8 Robert W. Yancey,9 and David N. Williams10
1
John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu; 2Department of Infectious Diseases, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland,
Ohio; 3Ochsner Clinic, Department of Infectious Diseases, New Orleans, Louisiana; 4Division of Infectious Diseases, Children’s Hospital of San
Diego, San Diego, California; 5Consultants in Infectious Diseases, Lubbock, Texas; 6Springfield Clinic, Springfield, Illinois; 7Morgantown Internal
Medicine Group, Morgantown, West Virginia; 8Pfizer, Inc.; 9Florida Infection Physicians, Gainsville; 10Hennepin County Medical Center,
Minneapolis, Minnesota
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. The literature supports the effectiveness of
OPAT for a wide variety of infections (table 1 and the
Appendix).
2. A thorough assessment of the patient’s general
medical condition, the infectious process, and the home
situation is necessary before starting therapy (table 2)
3. Prescribing physicians should be aware of a
number of aspects of OPAT which distinguish it from
Received 10 February 2004; accepted 10 February 2004; electronically published
26 May 2004.
INTRODUCTION
These guidelines were developed and issued on behalf of the Infectious
Diseases Society of America.
The practice of administering intravenous antimicrobial therapy in the home and in alternate care settings
has grown rapidly since it was first described in 1974
by Rucker and Harrison [1–9]. The most common infections treated and antimicrobials used by a variety of
programs are shown in table 1. In the United States,
Reprints or correspondence: Dr. Alan D. Tice, John A. Burns School of Medicine/
University of Hawaii, University Tower, 7th Fl., 1356 Lusitana St., Honolulu, HI
96813 (alantice@idlinks.com).
Clinical Infectious Diseases 2004; 38:1651–72
2004 by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved.
1058-4838/2004/3812-0001$15.00
Practice Guidelines for OPAT • CID 2004:38 (15 June) • 1651
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These guidelines were formulated to assist physicians
and other health care professionals with various aspects
of the administration of outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT). Although there are many reassuring retrospective studies on the efficacy and safety
of OPAT, few prospective studies have been conducted
to compare the risks and outcomes for patients who
receive treatment as outpatients rather than as inpatients. Because truly evidence-based studies are lacking,
the present guidelines are formulated from the collective experience of the committee members and advisors
from related organizations.
Important aspects of OPAT are described in the text
and tables and include the following:
other forms of therapy. These include the required
teamwork, communication, monitoring, and outcome
measurements (tables 3 and 4).
4. The physician has a unique role on the OPAT
team, which may also include nursing, pharmacy, and
social services. These responsibilities include establishing a diagnosis, prescribing treatment, determining the
appropriate site of care, monitoring during therapy, and
assuring the overall quality of care.
5. Antimicrobial selection for OPAT is different
from that for therapy in the hospital. Once-daily drug
administration has many advantages. Potential for adverse effects and the stability of an antimicrobial once
it is mixed must be considered (tables 5–7).
6. The importance of administering the first dose
of an antibiotic in a supervised setting is emphasized.
7. Regular clinical and laboratory monitoring of
patients receiving OPAT is essential and varies with the
antimicrobial chosen (table 8).
8. Outcomes measures should be an integral part
of any OPAT program, to assure the effectiveness and
quality of care (table 9).
9. Children receiving OPAT must be considered
differently because of their special needs.
Table 1. Infections treated with outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) and the antibiotics used in 4 studies or sites.
OPAT Network
a
(1996–2002)
Cleveland Clinic
b
(1986–2000)
Minneapolis area
c
(1978–1990)
Children’s Hospital
d
San Diego (2000)
Type of infection, ranked by frequency (% of OPAT courses)
Skin and soft tissue (23)
Musculoskeletal
Cellulitis (15)
Osteomyelitis (15)
Infected devices
Osteomyelitis (13)
Pyelonephritis (13)
Septic arthritis/bursitis (5)
Bacteremia
Late-stage Lyme disease (10)
Meningitis (13)
Bacteremia (5)
Intra-abdominal
Pyelonephritis and UTI (9)
Intra-abdominal (8)
Wound (4)
Skin and soft tissue
Septic arthritis (7)
Cellulitis (7)
Pneumonia (4)
…
Pyelonephritis (3)
…
Bacteremia (16)
Other (46)
Osteomyelitis (7)
…
Wound (7)
Antimicrobial, ranked by frequency of use (% of OPAT courses)
Ceftriaxone (33)
Vancomycin (31)
…
Ceftriaxone (42)
Penicillins (20)
…
Meropenem (11)
Antivirals (12)
…
Cefazolin (11)
Oxacillin/nafcillin (5)
Cephalosporins (9)
…
Cefepime (6)
Aminoglycosides (5)
Aminoglycosides (5)
…
Ceftazidime (6)
Clindamycin (3)
Other b-lactams (4)
…
Vancomycin (6)
Ceftazidime (3)
…
…
NOTE.
a
b
c
d
Data
Data
Data
Data
…
UTI, urinary tract infection.
from OPAT Outcomes Registry (available at http://www.opat.com).
from Susan Rehm, personal communication. Percentage of infections not recorded.
from [138].
from John Bradley, personal communication.
OPAT is estimated to be a multibillion-dollar-a-year industry
and is provided to 1 in 1000 Americans each year [10]. The
growth of OPAT has been fueled by a variety of factors including
the push for cost containment, the development of antimicrobial agents that can be administered once daily, technological
advances in vascular access and infusion devices, increased acceptance of such therapy by both patients and health care personnel, and the availability of reliable and skilled services for
OPAT in the community. Although OPAT has become widely
accepted as a form of medical therapy (see Appendix), more
information is needed regarding its benefits, safety, and limitations. This is especially true with the economic incentives for
early discharge that exist for payors.
These guidelines update those written in 1997 [11] and are
intended to ensure successful implementation of parenteral antimicrobial services for patients in varied community settings,
including the home and outpatient facilities, such as physicians’
offices, hospital clinics, ambulatory-care centers, day hospitals,
and skilled nursing facilities. They have been formulated to
incorporate the perspectives of the team of physicians, nurses,
pharmacists and other health care professionals necessary for
an effective and safe program [6, 8, 12]. Advice and participation were requested of the leading infusion-nurse, pharmacy,
infection control, internal medicine, pediatric medicine, and
1652 • CID 2004:38 (15 June) • Tice et al.
home-care societies to gain a broad perspective on the multidisciplinary approach needed.
The recommendations were formulated from the collective
clinical experience of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
Guidelines Committee and representatives from the invited organizations. In the majority of cases, the strength and quality
of evidence in support of OPAT is limited by a lack of prospective studies and a large number of confounding variables,
therefore no ratings are given here. The information herein,
however, can provide a guide for programs to develop the best
practices possible in their environment.
These guidelines are general and need to be adapted to many
variables in each treatment setting. Because of the focus on
OPAT, the related topics of duration of therapy, when to switch
to oral anti-infective therapy, and infusion therapies other than
antimicrobials are not addressed.
BASIC DEFINITIONS
In these guidelines, the acronym “OPAT” is used in place of
“CoPAT” (community-based parenteral anti-infective therapy),
because “OPAT” is the more commonly used term. “OPAT” is
generally used to refer to the provision of parenteral antimicrobial therapy in at least 2 doses on different days without
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Vancomycin (20)
Cefazolin (6)
intervening hospitalization. The term “outpatient” is used to
refer to the varied settings in which intravenous antimicrobial
therapy can be provided without an overnight stay in a hospital.
These include the home, physician’s offices, hospital-based ambulatory-care clinics, emergency departments, hemodialysis
units, freestanding infusion centers, skilled nursing or longterm care facilities, and rehabilitation centers. The term “parenteral” encompasses intravenous, subcutaneous, and intramuscular routes of administration. “Antimicrobial” refers to
antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial medications. “Caregiver”
refers to any family member, friend, or paid nonprofessional
individual with the ability and willingness to administer treatment and to observe and report significant events.
PATIENT EVALUATION AND SELECTION
Table 2.
(OPAT).
Specific considerations in evaluating patients for outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy
1. Is parenteral antimicrobial therapy needed?
2. Do the patient’s medical care needs exceed resources available at the proposed site of care?
3. Is the home or outpatient environment safe and adequate to support care?
4. Are the patient and/or caregiver willing to participate and able to safely, effectively, and reliably deliver
parenteral antimicrobial therapy?
5. Are mechanisms for rapid and reliable communications about problems and for monitoring of therapy in
place between members of the OPAT team?
6. Do the patient and caregiver understand the benefits, risks, and economic considerations involved in OPAT?
7. Does informed consent need to be documented?
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Initiation of OPAT requires that a physician determine that
such therapy is needed to treat a defined infection, that hospitalization is not needed to control the infection, and that
alternate routes of drug delivery are not feasible or appropriate.
Factors to consider in patient evaluation and selection are outlined in table 2.
The primary goals of outpatient therapy programs are to
allow patients to complete treatment safely and effectively in
the comfort of their home or another outpatient site and to
avoid the inconveniences, complications, and expense of hospitalization. However, OPAT is not appropriate if the patient’s
medical care needs would be better met in the hospital. Financial concerns in selection of patients for OPAT should not
take precedence over the patient’s welfare.
There is potential for both overuse and underuse of OPAT.
A careful analysis of patients referred for home therapy will
demonstrate that a subset of referrals may be inappropriate [6].
Some patients require hospitalization for ongoing care; for others, oral therapy is appropriate, and, for some, antimicrobial
therapy may not be needed. Because of the risks of progressive
infections and for adverse events, physicians with training in
the specialty of infectious diseases or with experience and
knowledge of OPAT should be involved in the evaluation of
candidates for therapy.
Medical assessment. Determination of the status of the
patient’s infection and any underlying medical condition is a
critical component of the assessment process. The increasing
use of OPAT without initial hospitalization makes the challenge
of medical assessment even more important. The patient’s risk
of sudden or life-threatening changes in health should be low.
OPAT may be appropriate for patients with terminal conditions,
if the therapy contributes to their quality of life and comfort.
Often the patient’s participation is more dependent on medical
and psychosocial factors other than the type of infection present. Table 1 lists the more common infections and antimicrobials used at several different OPAT centers. For most programs,
soft-tissue and bone infections are the most common diagnoses.
Patients with a sepsis syndrome or infections such as meningitis, endocarditis, septic arthritis, or severe pneumonia
should usually be hospitalized for initiation of parenteral antimicrobial therapy because of the risk that the patient’s medical
condition may suddenly worsen or that hospital-based procedures may be needed. Once their condition has stabilized,
however, many of these patients may be appropriately discharged to receive OPAT.
Recent guidelines for community-acquired pneumonia indicate that OPAT may be useful for selected patients [13–16].
Studies by Fine and coworkers [17, 18] suggest OPAT can be
much more widely used for pneumonia, if community resources are available and physicians are aware of them. Selected patients with endocarditis are also candidates for OPAT
[19]. There is a significant experience in treating nonenterococcal endocarditis on an outpatient basis, usually with
once-daily ceftriaxone and sometimes without hospitalization
[20–22]. However, patients with endocarditis who have prosthetic valves, persistently positive blood culture results, poorly
controlled congestive heart failure, large vegetations (110 mm
in length), recurrent embolic events, Staphylococcus aureus
etiology, or conduction abnormalities are at increased risk for
complications that may be more quickly recognized and
1654 • CID 2004:38 (15 June) • Tice et al.
teractive audio/video devices for home assessment and compliance may be helpful [27, 28].
Home assessment. The health care team must also have
knowledge of the patient’s home environment prior to initiation of OPAT. This information is ideally obtained by a visit
to the home before or at the time of initiation of therapy, but
verbal assessment may suffice [29]. Potential problems, such
as the funtioning of utilities, safety issues, cleanliness, substance
abuse, access to transportation, and social strife need to be
assessed. Home visits may also pose a risk to health-care practitioners, which should be considered.
KEY ELEMENTS OF AN OPAT PROGRAM
Physician-directed OPAT program. The key elements of physician-directed OPAT programs are outlined in table 3. Although any physician can legally order OPAT, not all physicians
are expert in doing so. The responsible physician should be
knowledgeable about infectious diseases and OPAT so that poor
clinical responses or problems such as therapeutic failure, adverse events, drug toxicity, and infusion device and vascular
access issues are avoided or appropriately and promptly addressed. In some clinical settings, an infectious diseases consultation is required before a patient can be sent home to receive
OPAT [6, 30]. Some organizations have focused on accreditation requirements to establish minimum standards for physician supervision and management of home care agencies [31].
Although there has been enormous growth in home care services nationwide, direct physician involvement has not kept
pace, largely because of low levels of reimbursement for management or direct patient care in the home setting [32, 33].
Infusion nurse specialists and pharmacists should also be
knowledgeable and experienced with OPAT, as should other
members of the health care team, which may include social
workers, physical therapists, dietitians, and occupational therapists. The American Society of Health System Pharmacists has
developed specific guidelines on the pharmacist’s role in home
care [34, 35].
OPAT programs must have systems for rapid communication
between nurses, pharmacists, physicians, and patients. Such
systems are required both for initial treatment planning and
for monitoring of ongoing care. Communication via pagers,
cellular telephones, facsimile machines, and electronic mail has
become increasingly important, although it must comply with
the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Programs should have written policies and procedures
that outline the responsibilities of the team members and address issues such as patient selection criteria, drug preparation,
vascular access, laboratory monitoring, and disposal of waste
and needles. Patient and caregiver education materials should
provide specific information about the program, a list of emer-
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treated in the hospital. A conservative approach suggests inpatient care or daily outpatient follow-up during the first 2
weeks of therapy because of the increased risk of life-threatening events, such as acute congestive heart failure, embolus,
or myocardial abscess [19]. Andrews and von Reyn [23] suggest that patients with uncomplicated endocarditis due to
viridans group streptococci could be discharged to receive
OPAT after 1 week of hospitalization.
Injection drug use or alcohol abuse problems should be specifically evaluated before therapy is initiated. Patients who are
likely to abuse a vascular access system are poor candidates for
OPAT [24]. A skilled nursing facility may be the most appropriate model for care. Intramuscular injections or daily infusions with removal of the catheter may be appropriate for some
patients [25]. Some computerized infusion pumps can monitor
therapy and may reduce the likelihood of tampering. The patient’s ability to adhere to the prescribed regimen and the threat
of unauthorized vascular access will determine whether therapy
outside of the hospital setting is advisable and whether a longlasting venous line is appropriate.
Patient and caregiver ability assessment. The capabilities
of patients who will receive OPAT and of their caregivers must
be carefully evaluated before they are accepted into the program. Patients or their caregivers must be able to assume responsibility for the infusion, the care of the vascular access
device (VAD), and the care of the catheter infusion site, and
be able to recognize and report new problems, such as rash,
diarrhea, or fever. Home care of children requires the involvement of parents or guardians and requires standards the same
as, if not higher than, those for adults. Daily treatment in a
physician’s office or infusion center is an option for selected
patients with unstable diseases or inadequate housing or because of personal preference or insurance restrictions. Patients
receiving OPAT should have their VAD and health status assessed by a licensed health-care practitioner. Participation in
OPAT by selected patients with physical limitations may be
facilitated through the use of electronic and mechanical infusion devices [26].
Patients should be informed of the economic and the medical
aspects of OPAT before the initiation of therapy. Patients should
be counseled regarding insurance coverage and anticipated outof-pocket costs to allow an informed decision before OPAT
begins. Documentation of informed consent with written information may be appropriate.
Ongoing communication among patient, caregiver, nurse,
pharmacist, and physician is critical to the success of OPAT.
Patients must have means of immediate communication (telephone or cellular telephone) and transportation for physician appointments and emergency services. Communications
should be undertaken in such a way that patient confidentiality is preserved. Telemedicine with home monitors or in-
Table 3.
Key elements required for an outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) program.
1. Health care team
A. An infectious diseases specialist or physician knowledgeable about infectious diseases and the use of
antimicrobials in OPAT
B. Primary care or referring physicians available to participate in care
C. Nurse expert in intravenous therapy, access devices, and OPAT
D. Pharmacist knowledgeable about OPAT
E. Case manager and billing staff knowledgeable about therapeutic issues and third party reimbursements
F. Access to other health care professionals, including a physical therapist, a dietitian, an occupational
therapist, and a social worker
2. Communications
A. Physician, nurse, and pharmacist available 24 h per day
B. System in place for rapid communication between patient and team members
C. Patient education information for common problems, side effects, precautions, and contact lists
3. Outline of guidelines for follow-up of patients with laboratory testing and intervention as needed
4. Written policies and procedures
A. Outline of responsibilities of team members
B. Patient intake information
C. Patient selection criteria
D. Patient education materials
A. Patient response
B. Complications of disease, treatment, or program
C. Patient satisfaction
gency-access telephone numbers, a statement regarding precautions and risks of OPAT, and when possible, specific information about the disease process and the antimicrobials used.
Plans for quality assurance and outcomes monitoring should
also be incorporated into OPAT programs. Policies and procedures may be developed for an individual program or developed with one of several commercial sources.
Referral to OPAT programs. The key elements for OPAT
programs to which a patient is referred are listed in table 4.
These relate to criteria for programs that the prescribing physician does not control even though the physician is ultimately
responsible for the patient’s care and outcome. Specific administrative elements, in addition to those listed in table 3,
should be in place. Because prescribing physicians remain responsible for clinical care decisions, it is important for them
to assess the quality of care provided by the OPAT delivery
organization and to document deficiencies. Physicians are considered legally responsible for deciding whether a patient should
be treated as an outpatient and to assure the quality of care
during OPAT [36]. In addition, consultants should clarify their
postdischarge role with other doctors involved in the patient’s
care [37].
An experienced physician director or advisor for an OPAT
delivery organization is important for the success of the program. This position is analogous to that of the medical director
for hospice programs. Such persons provide clinical input into
policies and procedures and oversee quality-of-care activities.
A home-infusion company should have written policies
available regarding the qualifications of their staff, the procedures used, and the quality assurance systems in place. The
company should be willing to share this information as well
as the charge estimates for the proposed course of therapy.
Patient education materials are an important resource, which
can be helpful for conveying information about safety, responsibilities, and compliance and general advice.
The choice of a model for administering OPAT varies with
individual patient needs, the program resources available, and
the payor. It is possible to change the type of delivery model
depending on the anti-infective agent used, the patient’s capability for self-care, and the need for other medical services.
The delivery models can be roughly classified according to
whether the antimicrobial is administered in an infusion center,
at a skilled nursing facility, or at home by a nurse or is selfadministered [11, 38].
In the self-administration model, antimicrobials are infused
by the patient, a family member, or another responsible person.
Infusions may occur in the home, at work, or any other site.
Methods by which therapy can be self-administered include
gravity infusion systems and a variety of administration systems
that can be adapted to the needs of the patient, the VAD, and
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5. Outcomes monitoring
Table 4. Key elements required for evaluating an outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy
(OPAT) program when the patient is to be referred.
1. Medical director or physician adviser knowledgeable about infectious diseases and OPAT
2. An outline of roles for the prescribing physician in relation to the case manager, the medical
director, the nurse, and the pharmacist
3. Written standards that outline the required training, experience, and licensure for nurses,
pharmacists, physicians, and other patient care personnel
4. Information on whether the program is accredited or certified by the Joint Commission for
the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations, the state health department, or other responsible agency
5. Information on the experience the organization has in providing OPAT
6. Established policies regarding the following issues:
A. Frequency of physician’s and nurse’s clinical assessment of the patient
B. Staffing and on-call policies
C. Frequency of clinical status reports to physicians
D. Reporting laboratory results to assure delivery to physicians within 24 h
E. Prompt reporting of patient problems and critical laboratory values
7. Willingness to share program quality and outcomes information
8. Willingness to share information regarding individual patient charges
9. Policies available regarding the following issues:
A. Antimicrobial preparation, storage, and dispensing
C. Monitoring guidelines for physician visits, nurse evaluations, and laboatory studies
D. Disposal of waste and needles
E. Health care worker safety
10. Provision of patient education and resource materials, including the following:
A. Instructions for emergencies
B. Information about antimicrobial use and possible adverse effects
C. Information about the potential risks, problems, and patient responsibilities regarding OPAT
11. A developed, ongoing system to monitor quality indicators, including outcomes and complications of therapy
the drug used. This model has the advantages that it provides
autonomy for the patient and reduces expense.
If a visiting nurse–service provider has staff that is experienced in home infusion, medications may be infused in the
home under the direct supervision of a nurse. Antimicrobials
may be administered by gravity infusion, by pump, or by intravenous pressure infusion (“IV push”) [39]. The number of
nursing visits authorized by third-party payors, the availability
of infusion nurses, and other considerations may limit the applicability of this model.
The infusion-center model has been established in many
locations, including physician offices, outpatient centers, hospital outpatient clinics, and, less frequently, an emergency department or extended care facility. These centers offer the advantage of ready access to medical equipment and personnel
but require the patient to travel to the facility for treatment.
Skilled nursing facilities may provide parenteral antimicrobial therapy and have replaced prolonged hospitalization in
situations where patients are not capable of self-care, do not
have satisfactory caregivers, have multiple medical problems,
1656 • CID 2004:38 (15 June) • Tice et al.
are undergoing rehabilitation, do not have insurance coverage
for home therapy, or are not likely to be compliant. Subacute
care facilities and rehabilitation centers offer additional options
for patients who require skilled therapy beyond infusion of
antimicrobial agents.
ROLES OF THE TEAM MEMBERS IN OPAT
An effective OPAT program requires an interdisciplinary team
of professionals committed to high-quality patient care [6, 11,
12, 40–43]. The typical OPAT team consists of the patient, a
physician, an infusion nurse, and, often, a pharmacist. In many
situations, a case manager for the hospital or third-party payor
will play a vital role. Social workers are often involved in the
selection of patients and coordination of therapy. Family members or other caregivers should participate in the planning and
delivery of therapies outside of the hospital. There are inevitably
areas of overlapping responsibilities, such as selection of intravenous access devices, determination of the most appropriate
site of care, and monitoring of laboratory results. Several phy-
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B. Vascular access systems used and site care
the infusion device. Patient education, training, and monitoring
fall within the realm of responsibility of the infusion nurse as
well. When patients receive OPAT at home, nurses can provide
a valuable home assessment. They may infuse the antimicrobial
agent or provide oversight to others providing care. They may
also serve bridging functions for the team and play a pivotal
role in coordination of care. Nurses may achieve specialty certification in infusion therapy through the Infusion Nurses Certification Corporation (INCC), the sister organization of the
Infusion Nurses Society, which has established standards for
nurses in all care settings [26].
The pharmacist. The pharmacist on the team is usually
responsible for the acquisition, storage, compounding, dispensing, and delivery of the antimicrobials, as well as for monitoring for adverse events and potential drug interactions [34,
43, 47]. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
(ASHP) suggests that pharmacists conduct a preadmission assessment and that they educate patients about the antimicrobial
agent and possible side effects [34]. The ASHP Section of
Home, Ambulatory and Chronic care has published guidelines
for pharmacists practicing in this setting [35].
The patient and the caregiver. The roles of the patient
and caregiver in OPAT must not be underestimated; they both
should play a part in planning the OPAT program and followup [29, 42]. Education about the infection, complications, treatment plans, potential problems, communication, and expected
outcome is necessary. Their responsibilities of the patient and
the caregiver are far greater than for hospitalized patients, and
their adherence to therapy is essential. Patients and caregivers
are often pleased to be involved in their own care and often
come away with a sense of pride and satisfaction in their role.
The safety of the medical staff should also be considered,
especially with home visits after dark and in high-crime neighborhoods. Concerns bearing on US Occupational Safety and
Health Administration regulations with regard to worker safety
and needlesticks should be as great, if not greater, with outpatient care than with inpatient care [48]. Bloodborne pathogens remain a problem and exposure remains a risk, although
the risks are less than in a hospital [49]. Use of needleless
administration systems is recommended.
ANTIMICROBIAL SELECTION
AND ADMINISTRATION
When selecting an antimicrobial for OPAT, multiple factors
must be taken into account, including the probable infecting
organism, the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of candidate drugs, and drug stability. The antimicrobials
frequently used for OPAT are listed in table 1. Although almost
any antimicrobial can be used, drugs with long half-lives continue to be extensively prescribed, although specific choices will
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sicians (the primary physician, an infectious disease consultant,
and other specialists) may be involved in follow-up, which adds
to the challenges in coordinating care. For OPAT to be effective,
not only optimal patient selection and education but also communication and coordination of care are essential. Reports of
laboratory values, discussions of patient assessments, troubleshooting, and changes in orders are often handled by telephone,
electronic mail, or facsimile. Continual availability of most
members of the care team is critical to the success and safety
of OPAT.
Expertise and experience in the management of antimicrobial
therapy and VADs are required to optimize outcomes and minimize risk in OPAT programs. Because no specific OPAT certification is currently available for physicians, nurses, or pharmacists, OPAT expertise may be assessed by a combination of
elements.
The physician. The role of the physician in OPAT has
several unique aspects, and includes establishment of a diagnosis, determination of whether OPAT is appropriate, selection
of antimicrobials, ordering of monitoring tests, and assessment
at follow-up visits [6, 1112, 42, 43]. The physician, the infusion
nurse specialist, and the patient should determine the appropriate type of vascular access. In consultation with other members of the team, the physician selects the site of care. The
physician is responsible for the ongoing assessment of the patient’s clinical response to therapy, monitoring for drug toxicity,
management of vascular access problems, care of concurrent
medical problems, and coordination of the efforts of other
members of the team. The OPAT physician should approve any
changes in treatment orders, including changes in doses or
intervals for administration of antimicrobial agents. Collaboration between the primary physician and physician managing
OPAT is imperative to avoid the possibility that potential problems will be overlooked or that efforts will be duplicated.
The issue of physician certification or credentialing to provide OPAT is evolving. The American Academy of Home Care
Physicians offers a certifying examination in home care; however, measurements of competence specific to the provision
of OPAT are only a small portion of the examination. The
Residency Review Committee of the American Board of Internal Medicine, in its standards for training programs in
infectious diseases, lists “appropriate use and management of
antimicrobial agents in a variety of clinical settings, including
the hospital, ambulatory practice and the home” as a curriculum component [44].
The infusion nurse. The role of the infusion nurse varies
with the OPAT model and the site of care [26, 45, 46]. At the
time of initial patient assessment, nurses provide valuable input
as to the patient’s suitability for parenteral therapy outside of
the hospital. They usually assume the lead role in recommendations for the type of VAD to be selected and in the care of
Table 5.
Properties of commonly prescribed antimicrobials at various temperatures.
Half-life
in h
Phlebitis
risk
b
rating
Acyclovir
Amphotericin B
2–3.5
24–360
1
3
Liposomal amphotericin B
Amphotericin B lipid complex
Ampicillin
24–360
24–360
1
2
2
2
Ampicillin-sulbactam
Caspofungin
1
148
Optimal
dilution,
mg/mLc
Duration of stability,
by storage temperaturea
⫺20C
5C
25C
5
0.1
ND
ND
37 d
35 d
137 d
4
1
30
ND
ND
ND
24 h
48 h
48 h
5d
6h
8h
2
20
ND
48 h
8h
1–2
1
1
0.2–03
10–20
ND
30 d
24 h
10 d
1d
1d
Cefoperazone
Ceftazidime
Ceftriaxone
1.5–25
1.4–2
5.4–10.9
1
1
1
40
1–40
10–40
96 d
90 d
180 d
80 d
21 d
10 d
80 d
2d
3d
Cefuroxime
Chloramphenicol
Clindamycin
Doxycyclinee
1–2
1.5–4
2–3
1
1
1
5–10
10–20
6–12
30 d
180 d
56 d
180 d
30 d
32 d
1d
30 d
16 d
22–24
1.5–2
4
2.5–3.6
2–3
0.8–1.3
4.5
1.5
0.5–1.5
0.3–0.8
2
3
2
1
1
2
1
1
3
2
0.1–1
0.1–0.2
20
5
0.6–1
2.5–5
2
5–20
2–40
10–100
56 d
30 d
ND
364 d
30 d
ND
ND
ND
90 d
30 d
48 h
14 d
24 h
35 d
30 d
2d
ND
24 h
3d
7d
3d
1d
6h
5d
30 d
10 h
ND
4h
1d
1d
0.4–0.9
3/1
2
3
84 d
ND
14 d
54 h
2d
5h
8–11/10–13
2–3
4–6
2
1
2
ND
30 d
63 d
ND
4d
63 d
6h
2d
7d
Drug
d
Cefazolin
Quinupristin-dalfopristin
TMP-SMZd
Tobramycin
Vancomycin
NOTE.
a
b
c
d
e
f
0.2
2
8
0.2–3.2
5
D, day(s); ND, no data; TMP-SMZ, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.
Data from [47].
Degree of tendency to cause phlebitis: 1, mild; 2, moderate; 3, high.
Optimal solutions may vary from saline to 5% dextrose, depending on the antibiotic.
Should not be refrigerated.
Protect from sunlight.
Degradation products can form after a few hours.
vary with the patient population, the likely diagnosis, the anticipated duration of therapy, and physician preference. Use of
agents that can be administered once daily reduces disruption
of daily activities and limits the potential for complications.
The choice of antimicrobials for OPAT needs to be continually
evaluated as new oral agents may replace some parenterally
administered choices, and antimicrobial resistance is an ongoing issue.
The initial dose of an intravenous agent should be administered in a supervised setting, such as a physician’s office,
ambulatory care department, or the hospital, before a patient’s
discharge to home care. Personnel trained in resuscitation and
appropriate equipment should be readily available.
1658 • CID 2004:38 (15 June) • Tice et al.
For patients with pneumonia, there is evidence that prompt
administration of an intravenous antimicrobial may improve
outcomes with respect to 30-day mortality [50] and lessen the
length of hospital stay [51]. Administration of a parenteral
antibiotic in the physician’s office before hospitalization may
also improve outcomes [52].
Table 5 displays the parameters of antimicrobials that are
used for OPAT. The half-life of a drug determines the frequency with which it can be administered. The likelihood that
phlebitis will develop influences the decision about the type
of VAD needed. Drug-stability information is important for
determining how often a drug must be mixed and how long
it can be stored. The rate of administration must also be
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Erythromycin lactobionate
Ertapenem
Ganciclovir
Gentamicin
Imipenem-cilastatin
Linezolid
Meropenem
Nafcillin
Oxacillin
Penicillin Gf
5d
Multiple factors need to be weighed when considering use
of a VAD, and the type of infusion system chosen must be
individualized [26, 65]. Issues to be considered include the
patient’s overall clinical status, age, and vein condition; the
diagnosis; current vascular access; antimicrobials prescribed
and their frequency of administration; need for a programmable infusion pump; and the anticipated duration of therapy
[66].
Peripheral short catheters are appropriate for patients with
good vein status who will receive a short course of therapy
(generally !2 weeks for adults and !1 week for children) with
an agent that has low potential for causing phlebitis or softtissue damage if infiltrated. Midline catheters (7.5–20 cm in
length) are also available for patients with moderately difficult
venous access or whose treatment is anticipated to last 11 week.
A wide range of central VADs are available for longer durations
of therapy and are usually placed when the use of a programmable ambulatory infusion pump is planned. Implantable ports
are not commonly used for OPAT unless already in place.
The use of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs)
has increased since the previous OPAT guidelines were published [67, 68]. These catheters are appropriate in many circumstances in which the need for prolonged (more than 1–2
weeks) vascular access is present and the risks of complications
or expense of other types of central lines is not warranted.
PICCs are also appropriate for use with programmable pumps.
When a PICC is placed, the catheter length should be recorded
and checked again when it is removed. A chest radiograph
should be performed after PICC placement to confirm the
position of the catheter tip, especially if irritative or vesicant
agents are to be used [69–72].
Tunneled and nontunneled central catheters are also widely
used for longer-term access and for the infusion of irritative
agents. They may be preferred over PICCs in patients who are
active or in infants and children from whom it is necessary to
obtain blood samples frequently. For patients who require multilumen catheters, a tunneled catheter may be more appropriate, although double-lumen PICCs are available.
MONITORING CLINICAL
AND LABORATORY ASPECTS
The clinical aspects of OPAT encompass a broad range of patient care issues. These include monitoring the patient for response to treatment and potential adverse events, in addition
to care of the VAD. Obtaining blood samples at regular intervals
(as appropriate for the drug administered) is required to monitor laboratory values during most courses of therapy. Table 6
displays the frequency of adverse effects serious enough to stop
antimicrobial therapy, which differ according to the drug being
administered [73].
Practice Guidelines for OPAT • CID 2004:38 (15 June) • 1659
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monitored closely, especially with vancomycin, amphotericin
B, acyclovir, ganciclovir, and foscarnet. Although IV push
administration has been advocated for some of the b-lactam
antibiotics, it has not been well studied and may cause minor
symptoms [53–56]. The pH, osmolality, and irritative qualities
of a drug need to be considered with this type of rapid intravenous administration.
Research regarding pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic
factors has influenced the dosing of antimicrobial agents [11].
Aminoglycosides, which show concentration-dependent killing
and a prolonged postantibiotic effect (i.e., a prolonged effect
on bacterial growth after antibiotic therapy ceases), may be
given in a once-daily dose. Such a regimen may offer therapeutic advantages and may also reduce the incidence of nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity [57–59]. However, the use of oncedaily aminoglycoside therapy by pregnant women, children,
elderly persons, and critically ill patients has not been fully
evaluated. Once-daily dosing recommendations for patients
with renal dysfunction, neutropenia, burns, liver disease, or
endocarditis should be used with caution [57].
The b-lactam antimicrobials, because of their short half-lives
and time-dependent killing with only a brief postantibiotic effect, might best be given by continuous infusion [60, 61]. However, b-lactams, such as ampicillin, that have short half-lives
and that are unstable at body temperature may need to be
mixed daily and administered as frequently as every 4 h, depending on renal function.
Ceftriaxone and ertapenem have sufficiently long half-lives
to provide serum concentrations above the MICs for most
susceptible organisms for 12–24 h and thus can be given once
daily. Vancomycin has been used extensively in outpatient settings because of its attractive dosing characteristics and the
increasing prevalence of infections due to oxacillin-resistant S.
aureus. It is usually given every 12 h, but less frequent administration is indicated for patients with renal dysfunction and
for elderly patients [62]. The increasing concern regarding vancomycin-resistant enterococci and the emergence of vancomycin-resistant S. aureus has necessitated limiting the use of
vancomycin to clear indications [63, 64].
Although many drugs are stable both at room temperature
and when refrigerated, the stabilities of ampicillin, quinupristine-dalfopristin, lipid formulations of amphotericin B, imipenem-cilastatin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in solution are of concern. These drugs are stable in solution at
room temperature for !8 h, so they should not be administered
by continuous infusion therapy. Body temperatures likely result
in even more rapid drug deterioration. An alternative to premixed antibiotics is to mix them with a prepackaged system
just before use. A number of drugs are not approved for pediatric use—for example, fluoroquinolone and quinupristindalfopristin.
Table 6. Frequency of adverse effects due to intravenously administered antimicrobials used for
outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT).
Antimicrobial
Variable
Cfz
Ctz
Ctrx
Cm
Gm
Oxa
Naf
Van
Total
Courses administered
781
456
4670
442
327
479
266
2881
10,302
32
16
136
34
26
40
26
144
454
Courses stopped earlya
n
%
4.1
3.5
2.9
7.7
8.0
8.4
9.8
5.0
4.4
Adverse effect, % of courses
1.92
2.19
1.39
5.43
0.61
3.55
4.51
2.29
2.05
Diarrhea
0.38
0.00
0.45
0.90
0.00
0.63
0.38
0.07
0.33
Nausea
0.77
0.22
0.36
0.90
0.92
1.88
1.50
0.24
0.50
Renal
0.13
0.22
0.00
0.00
2.75
0.21
0.75
0.42
0.25
Leukopenia
0.26
0.22
0.09
0.23
0.00
0.42
2.26
0.21
0.21
Urticaria
0.51
0.00
0.19
0.45
0.00
0.21
0.00
0.49
0.29
Fever
0.00
0.44
0.41
0.45
0.00
0.42
0.75
1.18
0.59
Vestibular
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
3.06
0.00
0.00
0.10
0.13
Hepatic
0.13
0.00
0.04
0.00
0.00
1.04
0.38
0.00
0.09
Anaphylaxis
0.26
0.00
0.04
0.00
0.31
0.21
0.00
0.14
0.10
Anaphylactoid
0.26
0.00
0.02
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.07
0.05
Anemia
0.00
0.22
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.21
0.75
0.00
0.04
NOTE. Information gathered from the OPAT Outcomes Registry as of October 2002 [73]. Cm, clindamycin; Ctrx,
ceftriaxone; Ctz, ceftazidime; Cfz, cefazolin; Gm, gentamicin; Naf, nafcillin; Oxa, oxacillin; Van, vancomycin.
a
Reactions recorded were only those serious enough to stop therapy with that antimicrobial. More than 1 reason
for stopping therapy was noted in 20.1% of cases.
Clinical monitoring. The frequency of patient follow-up
visits with the supervising physician needs to be determined
when a patient begins a course of OPAT. In most circumstances,
patients see the managing physician once or twice each week.
Some patients need to be seen daily by a physician, especially
at the beginning of OPAT. Patients with endocarditis, meningitis, or other life-threatening infections may also require more
frequent visits [23]. Less frequent visits may be appropriate for
patients with stable chronic infections, few comorbid conditions, and appropriate caregiver support. Nurse and pharmacist
assessments and monitoring should not substitute for face-toface physician evaluations of patients. Visits to the referring or
primary care doctor may also be helpful. If there are transportation difficulties, care may be coordinated with a local
physician. Patients should also be seen after completion of
OPAT to be sure they have responded to therapy are doing well
and have had no adverse events.
The frequency of nursing visits will vary with the patient’s
condition, needs, and diagnosis. More frequent nursing visits
may be needed at the outset of therapy for clinical monitoring
and teaching purposes. A growing number of patients and their
caregivers are being taught self-administration of antimicrobials, with a resulting decrease in the number of nursing visits.
Laboratory monitoring. The guidelines displayed in table
7 address the minimum frequency of monitoring for adverse
1660 • CID 2004:38 (15 June) • Tice et al.
reactions and toxicity. Additional studies may be needed for
determination of the response to therapy.
Adverse effects in patients receiving antimicrobial therapy
are not unusual [11, 73–76]. Table 6 displays information from
the OPAT Outcomes Registry, which indicates that 3%–10% of
antimicrobial courses are stopped prematurely because of an
adverse reaction. If laboratory parameters show an adverse
trend, the frequency of laboratory monitoring should be increased; in some cases, the medication may need to be changed
or its use discontinued. Data suggest that some adverse reactions, such as renal or vestibular toxicity and leukopenia, become more frequent as the length of therapy increases [73].
Even though an infection is responding, the need for regular
laboratory monitoring remains [77].
Patients receiving aminoglycoside therapy should have serum creatinine determinations twice weekly [11]. Weekly
monitoring may be considered for infants and children if they
are clinically stable. Patients receiving prolonged courses of
aminoglycoside therapy should have an initial determination
of the trough and peak serum concentration around the third
or fourth dose and after any dosage change. Determination
of trough or midpoint serum concentrations should be considered for those patients receiving aminoglycoside therapy
as a single daily dose, to document serum concentrations [78,
79]. When aminoglycoside trough serum concentrations in-
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Rash
Table 7.
(OPAT).
Suggestions for laboratory parameters that should be monitored weekly during outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy
Frequency of testing,
no. of times per week
Antimicrobial agent(s), by class
Liver
Complete Renal
function Potassium enzyme
blood
testsb
level
levels
counta
Aminoglycosides (gentamicin, tobramycin,
amikacin)
Once
Twice
…
…
b-Lactams (penicillins, cephalosporins,
aztreonam, carbapenems)
Once
Once
…
…c
Antipseudomonal penicillins
Once
Once
Once
…
…
…
…
Once
Clindamycin
Once
Once
…
Once
Daptomycin
Once
Once
…
Once
Linezolid
Once
…
…
…
Pentamidine
Twice
Twice
Twice
…
…
…
…
Once
Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole
Once
Once
Once
…
Vancomycin
Once
Once
…
…
Amphotericin B, including lipid formulations
Once
Twice
Twice
Once
Azole antifungal agents
Once
Once
…
Once
…
…
…
Once
Twice
Once
…
…
Fluoroquinolones
Other
Clinical monitoring for vestibular and hearing
dysfunction at each visit; serum concentrations as clinically indicated (see text)
Miscellaneous
Quinupristin-dalfopristin
CPK at least weekly
Blood glucose level daily; chemistry profiled
twice per week
Monitor for arthralgias
Caspofungin
Magnesium level once per week
Antivirals
Ganciclovir
Acyclovir
Once
Once
…
…
Foscarnet
Once
Twice
Twice
Once
Chemistry profiled with calcium and magnesium
level once per week
Cidofovir
Once
Once
Once
…
Urinalysis and chemistry profiled once per week
NOTE.
Magnesium level once per week
Frequencies are minimal criteria for patients with normal or stable renal function. Different criteria may apply for children.
a
Should include a differential count of leukocytes and platelet count.
b
Renal function tests may include serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels and urinalysis. Trough levels appear to be the earliest indication of
aminoglycoside toxicity.
c
Weekly liver enzyme tests with oxacillin, nafcillin, and carbapenems.
d
A chemistry profile should include liver enzyme levels as well as electrolyte levels.
crease, more frequent determination of serum creatinine levels
may be necessary [80]. Nomograms may be helpful [78, 79].
Serum drug and serum creatinine levels should be used to
adjust aminoglycoside dosing, although aminoglycoside concentrations do not always correlate with the renal or vestibular
toxicity [80–83].
When an aminoglycoside is used, patients and caregivers
should be instructed to monitor otologic symptoms by clinical
means, such as the volume of conversation, the development
of tinnitus, vertigo, or a feeling of fullness in the ears [84]. Any
changes noted should prompt consideration of an audiometric
evaluation and/or discontinuation of aminoglycoside therapy.
The patient’s understanding of these instructions should be
clearly documented in the medical record and consideration
should be given to including the possibility of an adverse drug
reaction in the written consent to receive OPAT that is obtained
at the start of therapy. For infants and young children, audiometric screening should be considered for those scheduled to
receive prolonged therapy (4–6 weeks). Symptoms of vestibular
dysfunction should be reviewed during each visit with the physician and nurse. Physical examination may also be helpful.
Formal vestibular testing is not practical in most settings. The
“dynamic illegible E test” is an inexpensive method of screening
for vestibular dysfunction that can be performed in the physician’s office [85, 86].
Audiometry is no longer routinely recommended when amiPractice Guidelines for OPAT • CID 2004:38 (15 June) • 1661
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Serum levels as clinically indicated
Antifungals
1662 • CID 2004:38 (15 June) • Tice et al.
used in adults, although, with close monitoring, a longer duration may be considered for patients receiving OPAT [122,
125].
OPAT OUTCOMES AND PATIENT SAFETY
The measurement of outcomes by an OPAT program is a part
of the continuous performance improvement process through
which health-care providers attempt to improve and assure the
quality of their care and service. Parameters are chosen to assess
the safety, efficacy, and cost of the OPAT program [1–9, 19–
22, 74–78]. The best-studied OPAT outcomes indicators have
been those related to cost savings and financial analyses [126].
Results of outcomes analyses may also be useful for marketing
and contracting with payors. Accrediting bodies such as the
Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) and the National Committee for Quality
Assurance require outcomes measurements as a part of their
certification process but do not specify the parameters or indicators to use. The JCAHO requires reporting and root cause
analysis of “sentinel events” resulting in unexpected death or
permanent injury arising from therapy [127, 128]. As the financial pressures mount for earlier hospital discharge of sicker
patients, the importance of monitoring outcomes to assure
patient safety increases.
Since the 1997 OPAT guidelines were published, some progress has been made in defining the appropriate outcomes to
monitor and the techniques for their measurement; however,
available data are sparse and rarely prospective [74, 75, 77, 129–
138]. The articles referenced in the Appendix support the effectiveness of OPAT for many indications [11]. Recent studies
have been published that demonstrate the effectiveness of OPAT
for patients with osteomyelitis [131, 137, 139, 140] and children
with complicated appendicitis [130]. Studies of pneumonia in
patients with cystic fibrosis indicate at least comparable outcomes and higher patient satisfaction with OPAT than hospital
care [7, 17, 18, 141–145]. Some studies show earlier return to
normal function if hospital admission can be avoided [15, 146].
Adverse-event rates among patients receiving OPAT vary
with the antimicrobial administered and the type and duration
of placement of (“dwell time”) the VAD [66]. For OPAT, as for
hospital-administered antimicrobial therapy, adverse drug reactions occur with sufficient frequency to require continuous
monitoring of data specific to the antimicrobial used [74, 75,
77].
OPAT centers should have an active performance improvement program that can track clinical and program outcomes.
Limited data are available to allow for comparison of a program’s performance with a national database for benchmarking
purposes. The OPAT Outcomes Registry is a national database
[135, 136, 147] that is accumulating data that can help compare
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noglycosides are administered to adults, as it has not been
documented to be of value for either healthy individuals or
hospitalized patients [87]. Infectious diseases practitioners do
not routinely obtain audiograms during aminoglycoside therapy [88, 89].
The value of vancomycin serum concentration data is controversial in the published literature [90–92]. Toxicity does not
appear to be related to serum levels of vancomycin [93–95],
although it does increase when vancomycin is given with other
ototoxic or nephrotoxic agents [96, 97]. A correlation between
serum vancomycin levels and clinical outcomes has not been
convincingly demonstrated in humans [92, 98, 99]. but there
is some evidence of a relationship in an animal model [100].
There have been a number of attempts to develop formulae
and nomograms for vancomycin dosing, with variable success
[101–103]. Specific patient populations have been shown to
have poorly predictable serum concentrations when dosages
are based on standard parameters [104–115]. In addition, vancomycin clearance decreases and serum concentrations increase
during the course of prolonged treatment [116].
Given the high incidence of adverse drug reactions and to
assure effective levels, it is recommended that both trough and
peak serum levels be determined, until further studies of these
relationships are undertaken [96, 97]. There are also concerns
that inadequate dosing of antimicrobials, including vancomycin, may promote the development of bacterial resistance [117].
Of particular note is the need to monitor for hepatic toxicity
in patients receiving oxacillin, caspofungin, or quinupristindalfopristin therapy [118]. Leukopenia is a common adverse
effect with penicillin or vancomycin therapy [119, 120].
VAD care. The care of the VAD will vary with the type of
device. Dressing changes, frequency of flushes, and site maintenance are based upon specific protocols for the individual
VAD. In 2002, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) published guidelines for the prevention of catheterrelated infection [121–123]. The Infusion Nurses Society has
also published practice standards for insertion, care, and maintenance [26]. Catheters need to be secured well, especially for
infants and children, to avoid accidental or purposeful manipulation of the device.
Patients and caregivers should be instructed in the monitoring and care of the VAD and should inspect the device daily.
A health care practitioner should examine short and midline
catheters at least twice per week and central catheters at least
weekly. The entrance site should be examined for evidence of
local phlebitis, induration, erythema, tenderness, and leakage
[122]. The development of ipsilateral edema of the neck or
arm in association with a PICC or other central catheter should
prompt evaluation for a deep venous thrombosis [53], which
usually requires removal of the device [121, 124]. Peripheral
catheters should be assessed for replacement every 72 h when
Table 8. Outcome measures for outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT).
1. Clinical status (as reported by the responsible physician)
A. Improved
B. Clinical failure
C. No change
2. Bacterial infection status (if a pathogen was identified and
repeat culture was done)
A. Culture negative for pathogen
B. Persistent pathogen
C. New pathogen
3. Program outcome (i.e., end of therapy)
A. Therapy completed as planned
B. Therapy not completed because of patient’s death, noncompliance with therapy, complication, patient’s preference,
hospitalization (give reason), or other
4. Antibiotic use (i.e., end of treatment course)
A. Course completed as planned
B. Course not completed because of adverse drug reaction
(note type), resistant organism, persistent organism,
patient’s preference, clinical failure
5. Vascular access complications, such as phlebitis, infection,
thrombosis, infiltration, or becoming dislodged
6. Additional outcome measurements
A. Patient returned to work or school during OPAT (if applicable)
B. Did outcome meet physician expectations?
C. Survival status (patient alive, died of infection, died of other
causes, lost to follow-up, or status unknown)
CONSIDERATIONS FOR PEDIATRIC PATIENTS
Although many of these guidelines apply to both adults and
children, particular aspects of OPAT require some degree of
specialization in the care of neonates, infants, and children. For
this vulnerable population, safety should be the most important
consideration. Although OPAT offers many advantages, it
should not be undertaken in neonates, infants, or children
unless care can be delivered to the child with the same or a
greater degree of safety as provided by inpatient therapy. Certain competencies in physical examination are unique to pediatrics (e.g., assessment of seizures in a newborn infant with
meningitis), certain infections are more common in children
(including omphalitis, mastoiditis, and meningitis), and certain
antimicrobial toxicities may be specific to children (e.g., fluoroquinolones and cartilage toxicity). Moreover, a family member
other then the infected child must be capable of providing the
necessary care. Some problems are unique to children, such as
Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Literature on OPAT specific
to children is not as extensive as literature on the outpatient
treatment of adults, but a number of articles on pediatric therapy and complications have been written for communityacquired infections, meningitis, fever and neutropenia, and cystic fibrosis [130, 141, 145, 152–168].
An important difference of OPAT in pediatrics pertains to
the nursing component of the team. In particular, the skills of
physical assessment to evaluate the response to the infection
and complications of the infection or medications clearly require experience and competence in the care of newborns, infants and children [166]. For the safety of the child, it is essential
that the nursing provider be capable of a skilled assessment of
the medical condition and response to treatment. In most situations, a registered nurse should provide nursing care, rather
than a nurse’s aide or a nursing assistant. The determination
of competencies for the various levels of nursing, and the licensing procedures for nursing personnel are specific to each
state. Physicians should be aware of the qualifications of the
nursing personnel given responsibility for assessment of infants
in their particular state. A nationally recognized pediatric infusion nurse society does not exist but the INCC certification
examination does provide a component related to pediatrics
[169]. Physicians, nurses, and pharmacy staff should all have
proficiency and validated competency with the unique antimicrobials and dosing used for newborns, infants, and children
to prevent errors in dosing or adverse drug events [170].
The need for home nursing visits in the majority of children
follows the same guidelines as summarized for adults. However,
in certain situations in which the clinical findings may be difPractice Guidelines for OPAT • CID 2004:38 (15 June) • 1663
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a program’s performance with that of an aggregate of 130
centers with over 14,000 cases [147–149]. An OPAT center
collects data on outcomes for the patients and can monitor its
own clinical performance over time. This is particularly useful
in the absence of published outcomes standards for infections
treated with OPAT. Parameters which are monitored in the
OPAT Outcomes Registry are listed in table 8 [136, 147].
Patient safety and health care–related infections are of particular concern with OPAT. The home environment is rarely
constructed for safety; hence, application of hospital infection
control polices may not be appropriate. Fortunately, the risk
of infection related to home care appears to be much less than
the risk of hospital-acquired infection and the chances of acquiring an antimicrobial-resistant organism from the home environment appear to be lower [33, 66]. Long-term care facilities
are challenged with a concentrated population of debilitated
but mobile patients, many of whom are recovering from hospital-acquired infections [150].
Patient safety issues with OPAT are similar to the hospital
with potential medication errors, adverse drug effects, and complications from infusion devices. Patients and staff should be
educated with regard to these risks and be immediately available
if they occur. OSHA standards for health care worker safety
and needlestick prevention are to be incorporated into the patient’s plan of care in the outpatient setting [151].
1664 • CID 2004:38 (15 June) • Tice et al.
the infections and pathogens treated may be unique to the
pediatric age group. The complications and outcomes in one
pediatric program should be compared with those of similar
pediatric programs, rather than with adult programs. Improved
standardization of definitions used for outcomes and reporting
in pediatrics will make comparisons between institutions increasingly relevant and important.
FUTURE STRATEGY
OPAT is now a standard part of medical practice in North
America. Although it is commonplace, it is not without risk
and responsibilities, especially for the physician, who must provide a quality of care with OPAT as good as that that would
be provided if the patient remained hospitalized. It is also a
method of delivery of medication that requires the expertise
of and close coordination of services from physicians, nurses,
pharmacists, and others.
The opportunities for further developing OPAT need to be
explored with caution and ongoing assessments of effectiveness
and patient safety. There are a number of ways by which information can be gathered concerning patient outcomes and
the evolving trends in different health care organizations shared.
Additional studies of OPAT are needed in multiple areas.
Randomized trials to answer important questions are rare. Vascular access is of continued concern, both with regard to device
selection and ongoing care. The safety of midline catheters and
PICCs in relation to peripheral short catheters for use with
OPAT has not been studied fully. Policies for changing of catheters and dressings vary among providers, although guidelines
and standards have been developed by the Infusion Nurses
Society and the CDC that limit short peripheral catheter dwell
time to 72 h [26, 37]. These recommendations were largely
derived from hospital studies and may not always be appropriate for OPAT. Administration of antibiotics by IV push may
save time but, in OPAT, its safety has not been documented.
The complications associated with use of PICCs and the ability
to recognize them early in the outpatient setting are of concern
and require close monitoring. Concerns remain about infusing
the first dose of an intravenous antibiotic in the home, especially because of the potential for anaphylaxis.
The answers to these questions can only be found through
concentrated, cooperative efforts to gather and analyze data
with the same rigor that applies in studies of therapy in hospitals. Clinical research on outcomes and patient safety issues
can be accomplished through networks of providers and registries with outcomes information. These data can also be used
to learn more about the optimal therapy for infectious diseases
and about the agents used to treat them [147].
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ficult to assess and the potential complications of the infection
are great, daily visits by home care nurses may be required.
Examples include infections during the neonatal period and
CNS infections for children of any age. Both the qualifications
of the visiting nurse for medical assessment of the child and
authorization for the medically required number of nursing
visits should be confirmed prior to discharge into an OPAT
program. On occasion, direct communication with the medical
director of a third party payor may be required to authorize
the visits required for the safety of the infant or child. Similar
to situations involving adults in which a caregiver is expected
to administer antimicrobials, the competence of the parent or
caregiver to administer medication and care for VADs should
be demonstrated prior to beginning OPAT. Such preparation
may avoid complications that result from parents or caregivers
who are not capable of either a medical assessment, care of the
child’s catheter, or infusion of medication. The physician who
discharges and treats the child as an outpatient has the ultimate
responsibility for the intended outcome.
Selection of antimicrobials for children generally follows the
same guidelines as those for inpatient parenteral therapy. However, the number of US Food and Drug Administration–
approved antibacterials, antivirals, and antifungals for children
is substantially fewer than those for adults, usually because of
lack of data on efficacy and safety in children. As with inpatient
management of pediatric infections, the physician must select
the safest and most effective antimicrobials for the child. Selection of drugs with the least frequent dosing is an important
consideration, as is the ability to administer the medication
intramuscularly. Secure vascular access is essential before discharge as vascular access for an infant in the home with limited
equipment resources and no support from other medical personnel may be difficult. Data on treatment of neonatal infections with newer agents is particularly limited. In general, sulfacontaining antibiotics are to be avoided during the neonatal
period of physiologic jaundice. Fluoroquinolones are currently
not used routinely in children because of concerns about cartilage toxicity.
The spectrum of equipment used for antimicrobial infusion
in children is similar to adults, although some products are
available specifically for children. The availability of vascular
access by peripheral catheters, PICCs [68], and subcutaneously
tunneled central catheters is virtually universal. A variety of
infusion techniques are used in children, from direct injection
of drugs via syringe (i.e., IV push administration) to infusion
devices that vary from small kinetic “balloon” or elastomeric
pumps to sophisticated electronic programmable infusion
pumps.
Most of the outcome parameters for pediatric patients are
similar to those for adults, even though the catheters and equipment used to administer medication, the antibiotics used, and
Table 9.
Internet resources with information on outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT).
Organization
URL
Notes
http://www.aahcp.org
Information on home care, house calls, and
membership
American College of Physicians/American
Society of Internal Medicine
http://www.acponline.org
References, teaching tools, patient handouts, and
information for personal digital assistants
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
http://www.ashp.org
Recent drug information
Association for Professionals in Infection
Control and Epidemiology
http://www.apic.org
Guidelines for hand hygiene and prevention of
infections, as well as educational materials
Association for Vascular Access
http://www.avainfo.org
Newsletter and information on networks, meetings, and membership
US Food and Drug Administration
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug
Consumer and physician information on shortages
and recall
Infectious Diseases Society of America
http://www.idsociety.org
Guidelines
Infusion Nurses Society and Infusion Nurses
Certification Corporation
http://www.ins1.org
Newsletter and information on publications,
credentialing, membership, meetings, nurse
competence program, patient education, and
teaching resources
OPAT Outcomes Registry
http://www.opat.com
Information about OPAT, data from the OPAT Outcomes Registry, network for patient referrals,
references, posters, newsletter, slide sets, and
information on membership
OPIT (Outpatient Intravenous Therapy)
Source Book
http://www.opitsourcebook.com
Sourcebook catalog and display of different
vascular access devices
FINAL COMMENTS
The contributors to these guidelines considered what could be
done to optimize their understanding and use. Timely publication of the guidelines or their abstracts in the various society
journals is possible. In addition, the Internet offers the ability
to disseminate information and support it through links to
documents from other societies and to patient education materials. The potential exists for continual updating and close
cooperative activities among the societies represented in these
guidelines. Many of these resources are available through the
Web page of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (http:
//www.idsociety.org). Additional information about OPAT can
be found at the OPAT Outcomes Registry Web site (http://
www.opat.com) and at the Web pages of the contributing societies listed in table 9.
The future role of physicians in outpatient and home care
is uncertain. Although their role in the hospital and office as
specialists continues to be rewarded, their management of ancillary services and home care has significant disincentives
[171]. Reimbursement mechanisms should be adjusted to rec-
ognize the added time and skill needed to manage these complex infections outside the hospital.
Acknowledgments
Advisors from related organizations who contributed to these
guidelines include the following: Marianne Billeter, American
Society of Health-System Pharmacists; Debbie Benvenuto, Infusion Nurses Society; Lynn Hadaway, Association for Vascular
Access; Loretta Fauerbach, Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology; Edward Ratner, American
Academy of Home Care Physicians; and Lawrence Livornese,
Jr., American College of Physicians–American Society of Internal Medicine.
Conflict of interest. J.S.B. has received research funding
from Roche, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Johnson and
Johnson, and Pfizer; he has consulted for AstraZeneca, BristolMyers Squibb, Johnson and Johnson, and Bayer. R.B.G. belongs
to the speakers’ bureaus of Roche, Merck, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, and Wyeth-Ayerst. MJ.K. is employed by Pfizer.
Practice Guidelines for OPAT • CID 2004:38 (15 June) • 1665
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American Academy of Home Care Physicians
APPENDIX
Table A1. Summary of reports that support the effectiveness outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy for various infectious
conditions.
Type of infection
or condition
References
Soft-tissue infection, including cellulitis and wound infection
[2, 5, 6, 8, 53, 60, 66, 74, 75, 77, 134, 138, 153, 155–157,
166, 172–196]
Osteomyelitis
[1–6, 8, 32, 53, 60, 66, 74, 75, 77, 131, 134, 137–140, 155,
157, 166, 172, 174–176, 178–183, 185, 187, 189, 191–
196, 197–204]
Septic arthritis or bursitis
[3–5, 8, 66, 75, 77, 134, 138, 153, 155–157, 166, 179–182,
185, 187, 191, 192, 194, 196, 199, 203, 205]
[3, 77, 175, 181, 196, 200]
Pneumonia and/or severe lower respiratory infection
[5, 8, 13–16, 66, 74, 75, 77, 134, 138, 155–157, 166, 172,
174, 176, 177, 179, 180, 182, 184, 189, 192–196, 206–
208]
Cystic fibrosis (infectious exacerbation)
[7, 9, 138, 141–145, 166, 180, 189, 192, 209–215]
Sinusitis (complicated)
[5, 8, 66, 74, 75, 138, 156, 166, 179, 181, 184, 189, 193,
216]
Chronic otitis and/or mastoiditis
[5, 75, 134, 138, 155–157, 166, 189, 192, 217, 218]
Endocarditis
[1–6, 8, 19–22, 53, 60, 66, 74, 75, 77, 138, 174, 176, 178–
182, 185, 187, 192–196, 200, 204, 205, 219–225]
Bacteremia
[1, 66, 74, 75, 77, 134, 138, 153, 157, 166, 167, 174, 176,
179, 182, 184, 189, 191–194, 196, 200]
IV catheter–associated infection
[5, 53, 74, 77, 138, 172, 189, 192, 195]
Vascular graft infection
[2, 3, 195]
Hepatic or splenic abscess
[60, 138, 196]
Intra-abdominal infection or peritonitis
[53, 60, 66, 75, 130, 138, 156, 157, 172, 179, 182, 189,
191, 192]
Complicated urinary tract infection
[5, 8, 66, 74, 75, 77, 138, 153, 155, 156, 166, 172, 174,
176, 177, 179, 180, 182, 189, 192–194, 226]
Pelvic inflammatory disease and/or tubo- ovarian abscess
[5, 8, 134, 138, 172, 176, 180, 189]
Meningitis or encephalitis
[66, 74, 75, 138, 152, 153, 155, 172, 174, 180–182, 189,
195, 196, 225, 227, 228]
Brain or epidural abscess
[6, 60, 66, 74, 75, 77, 179–182, 189, 196, 229]
Neutropenic fever
[74, 159, 161–164, 168, 172, 181, 230–235]
Lyme disease
[8, 60, 66, 74, 138, 179, 195]
Fungemia and/or systemic mycosis
[3, 60, 66, 174, 179, 180, 192]
Cytomegalovirus infection
[3, 8, 53, 60, 66, 75, 77, 138, 174, 189, 193, 195, 236, 237]
Downloaded from cid.oxfordjournals.org at IDSA on August 12, 2011
Prosthetic joint infection
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